The Bryce Harper Compendium (2015)

[UMDNats]

The problem there, unfortunately, is the the OWGs are being replaced with BYWGs (Boring Young White Guys).  Can you think of anything less exciting than looking at the score board and seeing "When Altuve is at 2nd base with two outs there is a RC+ of 0.00841 in an 0-2 count"?  That's why guys like Ron Washington were so great - they really couldn't give a rat's ass about any of that nonsense and, while they often looked like fools after the smoke cleared, they had teams that were competitive and seemed to actually enjoy the sport.  Less narratives and analysis and more kicking ass.  freak it, I might have to order a Harper shirzey today and get a mohawk in solidarity to the Kid.

Great point. I love stats as much as the next guy but when I'm just watching the game I want to see craziness. We need a team of Bryce Harpers. That'd be fun.

I think the problem here is WGs are ruining baseball for everyone.

[MarquisDeSade]

I think the problem here is WGs are ruining baseball for everyone.

Years ago Joe Morgan said something that made me question my sanity because I actually agreed with him - we need to get more kids, particularly those in the inner city, more involved in baseball.  Ignoring the insane hyper gentrification of a lot of cities (DC, Portland, SF, Atlanta, Oakland) can you think of many players in MLB, right now, that a kid with physical talents would look at and say "yeah, I want to be that guy"?  Suburban white kids have Harper and Trout as examples but, until recently, have there been that many non-Hispanic players of colour to really convince inner city kids to give baseball a shot over foozball or basketball?  Turning baseball into a meat puppeted version of the stock market (Cubs, Red Sux, Rays, Astros) isn't the way to do it and neither is continuing to embrace these horsecrap rules about people needing to "respect the game". 

TL;DR - I hope Bryce goes out there and lights up motherfookers left and right and wins the MVP this year.  Let the guy have fun.

[UMDNats]

Years ago Joe Morgan said something that made me question my sanity because I actually agreed with him - we need to get more kids, particularly those in the inner city, more involved in baseball.  Ignoring the insane hyper gentrification of a lot of cities (DC, Portland, SF, Atlanta, Oakland) can you think of many players in MLB, right now, that a kid with physical talents would look at and say "yeah, I want to be that guy"?  Suburban white kids have Harper and Trout as examples but, until recently, have there been that many non-Hispanic players of colour to really convince inner city kids to give baseball a shot over foozball or basketball?  Turning baseball into a meat puppeted version of the stock market (Cubs, Red Sux, Rays, Astros) isn't the way to do it and neither is continuing to embrace these horsecrap rules about people needing to "respect the game". 

TL;DR - I hope Bryce goes out there and lights up motherfookers left and right and wins the MVP this year.  Let the guy have fun.

I'm right there with you, man. It's a serious problem. McCutchen wrote a big article about this just a little while ago. He said basically he'd have played football or whatever had he not had this amazing youth baseball coach take care of him. The Nationals Academy in SE by Fort Dupont is a great start.

Baseball hasn't marketed itself to inner cities at all and is in danger of becoming like hockey in that it's mostly white kids with latinos mixed in as well. It's a global game just like hockey, but it's hard to get inner city kids into it.

[HalfSmokes]

Years ago Joe Morgan said something that made me question my sanity because I actually agreed with him - we need to get more kids, particularly those in the inner city, more involved in baseball.  Ignoring the insane hyper gentrification of a lot of cities (DC, Portland, SF, Atlanta, Oakland) can you think of many players in MLB, right now, that a kid with physical talents would look at and say "yeah, I want to be that guy"?  Suburban white kids have Harper and Trout as examples but, until recently, have there been that many non-Hispanic players of colour to really convince inner city kids to give baseball a shot over foozball or basketball?  Turning baseball into a meat puppeted version of the stock market (Cubs, Red Sux, Rays, Astros) isn't the way to do it and neither is continuing to embrace these horsecrap rules about people needing to "respect the game". 

of course turning baseball into the nerd sport has helped its popularity with different fans. It's never going to be a sport with great highlight reels (the only good youtube view are bloopers and the occasional rare event like a triple play) compared to football and basketball, by its nature, baseball is a slow sport (even tough most of a football game is actually between plays, it still has a reputation as fast paced), and it's non contact except for the occasional home plate collision. It has history/nostalgia, easily affordable tickets, and a long enough season for story lines to develop in its favor- baseball has a niche and there really isn't anything wrong with that

[MarquisDeSade]

of course turning baseball into the nerd sport has helped its popularity with different fans.

Unfortunately most of those fans can't play the game.

[HalfSmokes]

Unfortunately most of those fans can't play the game.

but they can buy tickets and it's not like there aren't kids who can play the game

[MarquisDeSade]

but they can buy tickets and it's not like there aren't kids who can play the game

Let me guess, you're also happy to show up to the arena but you're happy not to be an early Christian, right?

[HalfSmokes]

Let me guess, you're also happy to show up to the arena but you're happy not to be an early Christian, right?

do you really thing there is a talent shortage in baseball relative to other sports?

[MarquisDeSade]

do you really thing there is a talent shortage in baseball relative to other sports?

That's not my point and you should be able to see that.

[dracnal]

I think the big reason football is considered a 'fast' sport is two-fold.  One: The total number of plays in a games is significantly lower than the total number of plays (ie pitches) in a baseball game.   Two: While it's true that in both games, something big can happen on any given play/pitch, the number of non-event pitches is significantly higher in proportion to non-event downs.

While I don't want this done, to make baseball a 'fast' game, you'd need to change the number of balls for a walk down to two and change it so you get three strikes period. No fouling pitches off.  You either put the ball in play or you are out.  With a cap of five pitches per at bat, period and more first pitch swinging, it would be a MUCH faster game, even with the same delay between pitches.

Again, I ain't saying I want that. Just saying that's why football is 'fast' even though it's a lot of 5 seconds of action, 40 seconds to reset.

[mitlen]

Again, I ain't saying I want that. Just saying that's why football is 'fast' even though it's a lot of 5 seconds of action, 40 seconds to reset.

Not sure if it's a mindfact but I thought I heard one time that somebody timed the "action" in a pro football game.    In an entire game it was around 11 minutes.    Rest of the time, they're pattin' each other on the arse.

[dracnal]

Honestly sounds about right. It's just that the impact of any given play is potentially game changing. Makes for a very intense 10 second burst between texts and beer refills.

[Ray D]

Not sure if it's a mindfact but I thought I heard one time that somebody timed the "action" in a pro football game.    In an entire game it was around 11 minutes.

If you consider "action" in baseball to be when the ball is in play, if you timed that for a game do you think it would be more than 11 minutes?

[HalfSmokes]

If you consider "action" in baseball to be when the ball is in play, if you timed that for a game do you think it would be more than 11 minutes?

If you include time when there is a runner on base, yes (unless stealing bases isn't action)

[mitlen]

If you consider "action" in baseball to be when the ball is in play, if you timed that for a game do you think it would be more than 11 minutes?

Wasn't my point.    Merely pointing out that pro football isn't exactly an action packed endeavor.   

[Ray D]

If you include time when there is a runner on base, yes (unless stealing bases isn't action)

No, just having a runner on base, I wouldn't consider action.  If he attempts a steal or gets picked off then there is a period where the ball is "in play" which I would consider action.  Still wouldn't add up to 11 minutes. 

Not that I care. Baseball is plenty exciting for me, without the "action".  I like football too, but people have to accept that these are very diffferent games. Trying to make baseball more like football would be a disaster.

[rbw5t]

do you really thing there is a talent shortage in baseball relative to other sports?

Actually, I do.  Not a shortage, per se, because the product is still great, and probably always will be.  But I am pretty sure that there a lot of the best athletes who gravitate at a young age to football or basketball, who maybe 50 years ago were playing baseball instead.  I'm generally ok with the pace of the game -- baseball is just different, and I like it that way -- but I would like to see it regain its primacy with kids so that we get our share of the most talented athletes going forward.

[sph274]

honestly i feel like football is the sport that is really going to start having problems with recruitment. as more parents see the long term effects it can have on their children and more pros retire early to save their health, i think more parents will start thinking about which sports they really want their kids playing. baseball contracts are guaranteed, the players can play into their late 30s and they arent killing themselves over the terrible pain their playing careers have caused them. i wouldnt let my child play football. this is a growing sentiment in the us. as those really premium freak athletes start asking themselves what sport should they play, i feel as if more will begin to choose baseball and basketball over football.  Us soccer could really begin to pick up in popularity as well, especially as the Latino population continues to grow in size(something that also will help baseball in the future).

[dracnal]

I would expect to see soccer pick up a lot of the slack left by a decline in football.  The only noteworthy obstacle is the FIFA system.  MLS clubs are going to have a hard time attracting first rate talent with the open season approach the big boys are allowed to use in hunting for players.

And honestly, I don't see the mainstream US fan suddenly rooting for Arsenal or Man U.

[madj55]

honestly i feel like football is the sport that is really going to start having problems with recruitment. as more parents see the long term effects it can have on their children and more pros retire early to save their health, i think more parents will start thinking about which sports they really want their kids playing. baseball contracts are guaranteed, the players can play into their late 30s and they arent killing themselves over the terrible pain their playing careers have caused them. i wouldnt let my child play football. this is a growing sentiment in the us. as those really premium freak athletes start asking themselves what sport should they play, i feel as if more will begin to choose baseball and basketball over football.  Us soccer could really begin to pick up in popularity as well, especially as the Latino population continues to grow in size(something that also will help baseball in the future).

Yep, have guys retiring with plenty left in the tank just to make sure they'll be able to function later in life. Also, baseball is where the is at. However, youth baseball is also the most expensive sport to play which is why so many kids pick basketball or football.

[HalfSmokes]

I would expect to see soccer pick up a lot of the slack left by a decline in football.  The only noteworthy obstacle is the FIFA system.  MLS clubs are going to have a hard time attracting first rate talent with the open season approach the big boys are allowed to use in hunting for players.

And honestly, I don't see the mainstream US fan suddenly rooting for Arsenal or Man U.

I think you're right on soccer and right on the talent leaving. If an american kid is good enough, the only incentives to play in the MLS are anonymity and the ability to stay in the US

[tomterp]

New rule:

The only mod allowed to create a new thread about me and the forum's greatest dumbass is Chief since he comes up with the best thread titles.

JCA isn't as creative, Nathan's a pansy and Terp just doesn't care anymore....     

Hey, I may be running two weeks behind but I can get indignant in a heartbeat.   

[PC]

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/15/video-bryce-harper-meets-a-very-young-fan/

[NatsAllThe Way]

honestly i feel like football is the sport that is really going to start having problems with recruitment. as more parents see the long term effects it can have on their children and more pros retire early to save their health, i think more parents will start thinking about which sports they really want their kids playing. baseball contracts are guaranteed, the players can play into their late 30s and they arent killing themselves over the terrible pain their playing careers have caused them. i wouldnt let my child play football. this is a growing sentiment in the us. as those really premium freak athletes start asking themselves what sport should they play, i feel as if more will begin to choose baseball and basketball over football.  Us soccer could really begin to pick up in popularity as well, especially as the Latino population continues to grow in size(something that also will help baseball in the future).

What does this have to do with Bryce Harper?

[UMDNats]

honestly i feel like football is the sport that is really going to start having problems with recruitment. as more parents see the long term effects it can have on their children and more pros retire early to save their health, i think more parents will start thinking about which sports they really want their kids playing. baseball contracts are guaranteed, the players can play into their late 30s and they arent killing themselves over the terrible pain their playing careers have caused them. i wouldnt let my child play football. this is a growing sentiment in the us. as those really premium freak athletes start asking themselves what sport should they play, i feel as if more will begin to choose baseball and basketball over football.  Us soccer could really begin to pick up in popularity as well, especially as the Latino population continues to grow in size(something that also will help baseball in the future).

yeah i think harper is overrated too